Plastic connector plates for stacking chairs



March 1966 K. o. ECHNEIDER ETAL 3,237,984

PLASTIC CONNECTOR PLATES FOR STAGKING CHAIRS Filed Oct. 19, 1964 FIG.6

' INVENTORS:

KENNETH O. SCHNEIDER ANTHONY B. MUIDERMAN" CHESTER J. BARECKI United States Patent f 3,237,984 PLASTIC CONNECTOR PLATES FOR STACKING CHAIRS Kenneth 0. Schneider, Anthony B. Muiderman, and

Chester J. Barecki, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a

corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 404,575 1 Claim. (Cl. 297-248) This invention relates to plastic connector plates for stacking chairs, and more particularly to a combination of chairs united by plastic interlocking flanges of elastic memory and having the property of returning to their original shape after deformation.

It has long been the practice to connect chairs, such as stacking chairs, with lateral interlocking metal flanges so that they may be united in rows for auditorium, etc. use, and separated, when desired, for use as individual chairs. Unfortunately, the metal flanges become deformed due to uneven floors, varying sizes of chairs, and the deformed flanges subsequently hold the chairs in an uneven manner and with the legs of some chairs off the floor. Further, in actual use, when chairs are tilted relative to each other by the occupants, deformations occur, and once the deformation has occurred, it is extremely diflicult to repair the connections and to bring the chairs back to their original positions. Further, with metal connectors, the chairs can more readily become separated during occupancy, and such separation is further enhanced when one or both of the plates become somewhat deformed.

A primary object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a structure which avoids the above disadvantages. Yet another object is to provide plastic connectors for stacking chairs, the connectors being of resilient plastic material with elastic memory, and which when deformed under pressure return to their original shape after the pressure is released. A further object is to provide a pair of chairs connected by plastic interlocking flanges which grip each other and have less tendency to become accidentally separated, While at the same time yielding under pressure to deformation and returning to their original shape after the release of such pressure. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as from the following specification.

The invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in elevation of a chair equipped with a plastic flange embodying our invention; FIG. 2, a front view in elevation of a pair of chairs connected by the plastic flanges; FIG. 3, a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a pair of adjacent flanges in spacedapart relation; FIG. 4, a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the tongue of one flange being introduced into the slot of the companion flange; FIG. 5, a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the two connector flanges in connected relation; FIG. 6, a top plan view of the flange structure shown in FIG. 3 but on a reduced scale; FIG. 7, a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the flanges being connected; FIG. 8, a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the connection of the flanges completed; FIG. 9, a sectional view of the flanges, the section being taken as indicated at line 9-9 of FIG. 6; FIG. 10, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 10-10 of FIG. 7; and FIG.

Patented Mar. 1, 1966 11, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 1111 of FIG. 8.

In the illustration given, A designates a chair which may be of any suitable type or construction. In the illustration given, a stacking chair is shown, and the chair is provided, as shown in FIG. 1, with a laterally-extending flange 12.

In FIG. 2, a pair of such chairs, indicated by A and A, is connected by flanges 12 and 13. The flanges 12 and 13 are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3 to 11 inclusive. Flange 12 has a laterally-extending portion 1211 provided with a transverse slot 121) having a central stem portion 12c. All in all, the slot is generally in the shape of the letter T. The plate 12 may be of any suitable construction. In the illustration given, there is a plate attachment portion 14 provided with holes 15 for receiving screws or rivets by which the plate is secured to the side wall of the chair A. We prefer to equip the plate 12 also with an upwardly-inclined heel portion 16 for engaging an inclined area 17 of the chair side wall 18, as shown best in FIG. 9.

The flange 13 has a downwardly-depending tongue portion 13a provided centrally with a longitudinal web or flange 13b and a curved upper portion 136. The plate r has also a flat attachment area 19 provided with attachment holes or openings 20 and with an upwardly-turned heel portion 21.

The flanges or plates 12 and 13 are formed of plastic material of elastic memory and having the property of being deformable under pressure, and when the pressure 'is released, returning to their original shape. Examples of such plastic are high impact polystyrene and high density polyethylene. It will be understood that many plastic resins may be used and which have the properties described.

In the operation of the structure, the flanges 12 and 13 may be brought into interlocking engagement by tilting one of two adjacent chairs relative to each other. For example, in the structure shown in FIG. 2, chair A may be tilted upwardly and toward chair A' to bring the depending tongue 13a of plate 13 into engagement with the slot 12b of plate 12. In this operation, as shown best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the median web or rib 13b of plate 13 engages the stem slot of plate 12, and when the chairs are returned to their lowered position, the flanges 12 and 13 are -in interlocked relation, as shown best in FIGS. 5, 8 and 11.

The T-shaped slot in the plate 12 is effective in preventing disengagement of the tongue of member 13 from the slot of plate 12, while at the same time enabling the flanges to be sufliciently resilient so that one chair may be adjusted relative to the other on uneven floors and under other conditions where the relative positions of the chairs are changed. While the flanges 12 and 13 yield with respect to each other under irregular pressures, the flanges spring back to their original position after such pressure is relieved.

While in the foregoing specification We have set forth a specific embodiment of the invention in considerable detail for illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such detail or details may be varied widely by those skilied in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

In combination, a pair of chairs having lateral mating flanges formed of resilient plastic material, one of said flanges having a T-shaped slot therein consisting of a transverse slot and a central stem slot, and the other of said flanges having a downwz-irdly-depending tongue having angularly-related portions and provided centrally with a median rib extending longitudinally of said tongue and uniting said angular portions, said tongue, when the flanges are brought into interlocking engagement, engaging said transverse slot and holding said rib in engagement with said central stem slot whereby said chairs adjust to each other on uneven floors by the yielding of said flanges under irregular pressures and said flanges spring back to their original position after such pressures are relieved.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Carolan 287103 Larson 10383 Rutherford 24201 Winkler 24-201 Wilson 297440 Hoven et a1. 297248 Wilson 297248 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

F. K. ZUGEL, A ssz'slant Em'uniner. 

